St. Bees
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 27 May 2016 22:57
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A Spuddle to St. Bees
Island
 I had a terrible loss at backgammon
so when Bear suggested a spuddle over to St. Bees Island I said I would be ready
in moments. I went to step into the bedroom just as Beez swayed and OH MY, I
cracked my little toe so hard on the doorframe, it hurt too much to swear of
cry, I hopped a bit and grabbed the cold flannel from the sink. The second thing
to put me right wrong, right wrong I say. Out I hobbled to Baby Beez
and off we went to Homestead Bay. All looked well
from a distance.
  Bear was
met by Paul (one of the island’s four residents), as I lamely went up the beach.
The line of ‘stones’ along the waterline is actually ash and lumps of burnt
wood. Paul had been on the hooch - so early in the day and clearly has not been
near a dentist in many a long year. The catamaran on
the beach had been extremely fast, but as it only weighed a ton and a half,
pitch-poled in the first heavy weather. Paul has taken her on as a project but
misjudged the tides and she fell off her acro-supports. Our new friend lives
rent free, for a few menial jobs in a ‘one careful owner’ caravan and wonders
why no-one wants to pay $50 a day to rent the empty house a few feet away. We
made our excuses as soon as we could and retreated back to Baby Beez, thoroughly
fed up.
 The next beach out
on the left, had some rusty machinery so we headed to the sandy one
opposite Beez.
 Round the corner, up on a pristine
sandy beach (save for a couple of beer bottles), we felt we
could now begin a lovely afternoon bimble of St.
Bees.
 We walked over
what we thought was a sand dune but it was actually a lagoon
‘wall’ seen at low tide.
  Behind the sand
wall was a huge basin, the far end covered in mangroves.
 Standing in the
back left corner, looking over at Keswick Island
on the right.
 Behind us a
great tree root.
 We watched a
plane coming in to land.
 Time to sit and ponder
for a minute or two.
  A chap came in to land beside us.
 Bear gathered the anchor and homeward bound for a game or
two.
 I didn’t want to
finish with my poor little toe, but I don’t ever
recall seeing a blood blister in such a place on anyone I have ever known. My
sad digit is twice the size and its amazing that such a small item can make so
much pain. We’ll close now with Beez...........
 ALL IN ALL PLEASED TO HAVE
VISITED BUT DISAPPOINTED
AFTER READING THE RICH HISTORY OF THE ISLAND – RATHER
SAD
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